Light Bismuth Load??

[Jeff Christie]

Does anyone out there in Parkerland have a favorite light 12 ga bismuth load? Most of what I find 'published' is for 1 1/4 oz or greater for waterfowl. I want a light upland load ( 1 - 1 1/8 oz- 1100-1200 fps) for roosters over dog points.

[J.B. Books]

Originally Posted by Jeff Christie

Does anyone out there in Parkerland have a favorite light 12 ga bismuth load? Most of what I find 'published' is for 1 1/4 oz or greater for waterfowl. I want a light upland load ( 1 - 1 1/8 oz- 1100-1200 fps) for roosters over dog points.

Are concerned about chamber pressure? I found some 1 1/8 ounce recipes but they are 10K+

[Jeff Christie]

Chamber pressure is an issue. I would like to keep them as low as possible maybe 6000 range. 1 oz is better than 1 1/8 but either will do. Thanks. 10K over the top.

[J.B. Books]

Originally Posted by Jeff Christie

Chamber pressure is an issue. I would like to keep them as low as possible maybe 6000 range. 1 oz is better than 1 1/8 but either will do. Thanks. 10K over the top.

Everything I have found including a 1 ounce load is high pressure with lowest being 9600.

You might consider finding a very low pressure lead load and substitute Nice Shot which is old gun friendly but you need to add 1500psi to the published lead recipe you are using.

Good luck.

[Jeff Christie]

Thanks. I'll give Nice Shot another try. I had a bad experience several years ago trying Nice Shot. It was very limited (10 rounds) but I found it seemed to cripple rather than kill well hit roosters. These were someone else's handloads but none the less I have confidence in their assembly. Tungsten Matrix on the other hand (Kent Gamebore) has been very effective. I do have some RST Nice Shot #2s I want to try for a double on Canadas with a Parker. I want that pin.

[Hammer Gun]

Pete, I have some Bismuth in 12gauge 2-3/4" 3-1/4 drams 1220fps 1-1/4oz #4's
10gauge 2-7/8" 3-3/4 drams 1210fps 1-1/4oz #5's
10gauge 3inch max drams 1250fps 1-5/8oz #2's
10gauge 3-1/2" max drams 1350fps 1-5/8oz #4's
10gauge 3-1/2" max drams 1375fps 1-5/8oz #BB
10gauge 3-1/2" max drams 1300fps 1-7/8oz #4's

This info taken off the boxes, I need to know what are the pressures of these loads and what amount of powder is max drams? Thanks for the answer, Gary

[Don Ay]

1 1/8th load from Precision Reloading's bismuth manual, winchester aa, fed 209 primer, 22 grains7625 and remington sp 12 1155 fps and 7800 psi.
I've used it and it will kill ducks don't know if thats low enough pressure for you?
I remember in Sherman Bells articles "Finding out for myself" he had one too but it used the old Lage wads federal hulls if I remember I think they were around 5600-6000 psi range I made some up some years back they were good early season loads

[J.B. Books]

Originally Posted by Gary Carmichael Sr

Pete, I have some Bismuth in 12gauge 2-3/4" 3-1/4 drams 1220fps 1-1/4oz #4's
10gauge 2-7/8" 3-3/4 drams 1210fps 1-1/4oz #5's
10gauge 3inch max drams 1250fps 1-5/8oz #2's
10gauge 3-1/2" max drams 1350fps 1-5/8oz #4's
10gauge 3-1/2" max drams 1375fps 1-5/8oz #BB
10gauge 3-1/2" max drams 1300fps 1-7/8oz #4's

This info taken off the boxes, I need to know what are the pressures of these loads and what amount of powder is max drams? Thanks for the answer, Gary

Gary, it will be very difficult to determine the pressures of those factory shells. Only the manufacturer would know, and they are out of production and if it's the original bismuth the company is out of business.

If you are really concerned you could sacrifice 5 shells of each and submit them to somebody like Tom Armbrust for pressure testing.

Dram is an outdated measure of velocity determined from the amount of black powder that would have been used. Long past it's usefulness.

Factory loads are designed to cycle auto loading shotguns so their pressures are generally on the high end of SAMMI max.

I can tell you that both Scott K. and I have shot the old factory bismuth 10ga 1 1/4 ounce load through both Twist and Damascus Parker's without issue.

Another option you can consider would be to open those shells up, strip them of the bismuth and then reload the bismuth with a recipe where you know the pressure and velocity data. Initially that may sound like heresy, but you could cut those hulls down, shoot 1 1/4 ounce in 10ga 2 7/8" and you would get many more reloaded shells to shoot at ducks and geese. Example. Ten 1 7/8 ounce shells stripped of their components would result in Fifteen 1 1/4 ounce reloads.

[Craig Larter]

What do you consider low pressure? I use the Precision Reloading data same as Don Ay except I use the Remington hull pressure 8700psi. I have used it for years in all my Parker and Fox guns including damascus. The recoil of a 1 1/8th oz load is easy on the old guns and does a fine job on ducks. Many of my friends shoot Kent TM 1 1/4oz loads in all sorts of vintage guns and it is VERY impressive.

[Hammer Gun]

I used to shoot the 3-1/2" 1-5/8oz #4's in my Parker ten with no problems just wondered what the pressures were, I guess I could shoot the 2-7/8 in my damascus gun, Thanks Gary